Susquehanna Valley Section

May 2009 Meeting

The three hundred and eighty third meeting of the American Chemical Society Susquehanna Valley Section will be our Annual Awards Banquet and will be held on Wednesday, 6 May 2009. With the presentation of various local section awards, the Annual Awards Banquet recognizes both aspiring and accomplished chemistry professionals in the area who have helped to promote chemistry, the chemical professions, and the section. This year's meeting will be held at Portabella's Catering near the Bloomsburg University campus. Registration for dinner is from 5:30 ˆ 6:00 p.m. with dinner at 6:00 p.m. The speaker, Dr. Daniel King of Drexel University, will present a talk entitled "Engaging Students in the Classroom: Is Technology the Answer?".

Directions: see below

Dinner: The dinner will be a buffet-style with a selection of entrees, side dishes, salad and dessert. The cost will be $20. Please RSVP Sharlene Pollock (by email) or phone (570) 389-5159 by 4:00 PM on Thursday, 30 April 2009.

Engaging Students in the Classroom: Is Technology the Answer?

The debate about the use of technology in the classroom is an ongoing one. While some believe that the chalkboard lecture is still the most effective approach and others promote the benefits of group work and peer instruction, there is a growing belief that current students respond better to more advanced visual stimuli, which are facilitated through the use of technology. As the incorporation of technology becomes more pervasive, it is important to assess the effectiveness of technology as a pedagogical tool. Does the use of technology in the classroom improve student learning, or is technology just the latest fad in education? In this talk, I will present research results that assess the effectiveness of two forms of technology (personal response devices, or clickers, used in the classroom and pre-exam review information available online) to increase student engagement and learning. In each case, quantitative assessment is based on student surveys, usage statistics and comparison of performance on in-class questions and corresponding exam questions.

Daniel King received a B.A. from the Johns Hopkins University and a Ph.D. in Marine and Atmospheric Chemistry from the University of Miami. He did post-doctoral research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Boulder, CO. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor of Chemical Education in the Chemistry Department at Drexel University. He is a recipient of the Allan Rothwarf Award for Teaching Excellence at Drexel. His current research interests include assessment of active learning techniques and student use of technology, development of hands-on demonstrations and incorporation of environmental data into classroom modules.

Joseph Priestley Service Award: The Section established the Joseph Priestley Service Award to recognize outstanding community involvement and outreach activities within our section membership. Dr. Timothy Strein will be receiving the Joseph Priestley Service Award.

Directions to Portabella'S Catering:

East of Bloomsburg: Use I-80 west to Exit 236B north (then follow directions from Exit 236 below).

West of Bloomsburg: Use I-80 east to Exit 236 north (then follow directions from Exit 236 below).

South of Bloomsburg:
From Central Pennsylvania, take Routes 11 and 15 north to the Town of Bloomsburg. Heading north on Main Street, you'll see Carver Hall directly ahead. Take the soft left onto Lightstreet Road and follow it to over I80 to the restaurant.

From southeast Pennsylvania, take Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-476) to I-80 west (Pocono Exit) to Exit 236A north (then follow directions from Exit 236 below).

North of Bloomsburg:
From the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area, take I-81 south to I-80 west to Exit 236A north (then follow directions from Exit 236 below).
From the Williamsport area, take I-180 south to I-80 east to Exit 236 (then follow directions from Exit 236 below).

From Exit 236 on I-80, take Route 487 north (Lightstreet Road). After a short 100 yards, make the first left onto Main Street. Stay on Main Street for about ¢ mile. Portabella's is on the left, in an old church.